![\"northern](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/northern-flicker-7462-ron-dudley.jpg\")
1\/4000,\u00a0 f\/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF500mm f\/4L II USM, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nIt’s always very difficult to get two birds in the frame and sharp when one of them is in flight but I don’t think it’s always necessary. Here the reaction of the flicker to attack is obvious and we can see enough of the attacker at the top of the frame to understand what is happening.<\/p>\n
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![\"northern](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/northern-flicker-7439-ron-dudley.jpg\")
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1\/4000,\u00a0 f\/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF500mm f\/4L II USM, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Here we see more of the much smaller but very aggressive male bluebird and even though he’s out of focus his intent is obvious.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/3200,\u00a0 f\/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF500mm f\/4L II USM, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Eventually both bluebirds temporarily flew off and left the flicker in peace for a while so soon after this shot was taken he went inside the cavity and I could hear him pounding away as he enlarged it. Occasionally he would bring a beak-full of woodchips to the entrance and fling them outside.\u00a0 I’ll post some interesting photos of that behavior soon.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Tension has been high between several species at the nest cavity tree. When we arrived yesterday morning this male Northern Flicker was inside the cavity and he spent considerable time enlarging the interior but a pair of Mountain Bluebirds took strong exception to his presence.<\/p>\n![\"northern](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/northern-flicker-7524-ron-dudley.jpg\")
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